Author: James

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Trump may not enforce individual health insurance mandate: aide

obamacare_theridgewoodblog

ReutersJanuary 22, 2017

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Trump administration may no longer enforce a rule requiring individual Americans to carry health insurance or pay a penalty if they do not, a senior White House official said on Sunday

Speaking on ABC’s “This Week” program, Kellyanne Conway, counselor to the president, said President Donald Trump “may stop enforcing the individual mandate.”

Separately, on CBS’ “Face the Nation” show, she reiterated Republican promises that no one would lose their health insurance under Obamacare while a replacement is being developed.

“For the 20 million who rely upon the Affordable Care Act in some form, they will not be without coverage during this transition time,” she said.

On Friday Trump signed an executive order concerning the 2010 healthcare law, urging U.S. agencies to “waive, defer, grant exemptions from, or delay the implementation” of provisions deemed to impose fiscal burdens on states, companies or individuals.

Healthcare experts had speculated that Trump could expand exemptions from the individual mandate.

https://ca.news.yahoo.com/americans-wont-lose-coverage-health-law-reform-trump-150013365.html

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N.J. on the hook for thousands more affordable housing units, Supreme Court says

CBD high density housing

By MaryAnn Spoto | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on January 18, 2017 at 1:50 PM, updated January 18, 2017 at 7:16 PM

TRENTON — New Jersey has to build thousands more units for its low-income residents to make up for the 16 years that the state didn’t address those needs, the state Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.

In a decision addressing New Jersey’s long-stalled regulations governing affordable housing, the state’s highest court said towns must take into consideration the need for housing that existed within their borders between 1999 and 2015. That’s the so-called gap period when the Council on Affordable Housing failed to adopt new rules.

The 6-0 decision, the latest in decades of Mount Laurel rulings governing affordable housing in New Jersey, rejects the assertion that only 37,000 units are needed and that the gap period calculations are not necessary because that need no longer exists.

“The decision says that the promise of the Mount Laurel decision is real for tens of thousands of families and people with disabilities and the New Jersey Supreme Court said our commitment to fight discrimination remains good law,” said Kevin Walsh, executive director of Fair Share Housing Center, the advocacy group that has taken the lead in enforcing Mount Laurel obligations.

https://www.nj.com/ocean/index.ssf/2017/01/nj_on_the_hook_for_200k_affordable_housing_units_s.html

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What If Sick People Lose Their ObamaCare?

obamacare_theridgewood blog

By Jane M. Orient, M.D.

As Republicans contemplate repealing the Affordable Care Act (ACA or “ObamaCare”)—seriously, not just as a political gesture—alarms are sounding about millions of individuals losing coverage.

So soon we have forgotten about the millions who lost coverage they had had for years because ObamaCare outlawed it.

ObamaCare resulted in perhaps five times as many losers as winners—even counting just those who ended up with more expensive or less desirable coverage. If you count the taxpayers, the tally of losers is much higher. But with government largesse, the losers—the ones who have their earnings taken away—are “forgotten men.”

Anyone who has government-funded benefits taken away, on the other hand, becomes a victim.

The best poster children are cancer victims. They face a premature, particularly nasty death. Who would deny someone’s mother or 4-year-old daughter the chance of a cure, even if the chemotherapy costs more than $100,000?

ObamaCare would. Exchange plans have excluded the best cancer hospitals from their narrow networks. Medicaid would. It might call the treatment “experimental” or “not cost-effective.” Medicare would, possibly just because the patient is “too old” or “too young.” Unless the particular victim can be featured in a PR campaign to “save ObamaCare,” she might be “better off with the pain pill,” as President Obama put it.

And let’s not forget how the FDA has driven the costs of drug approval sky-high, suppresses therapies that have no prospect of turning billion-dollar profits, and protects manufacturers against competition when the drug is about to go off patent. The anti-leukemia drug Gleevec, for example, cost $26,000 per year in 2001, a price called “high but fair,” considering the cost of research and the need for profits. It is $146,000 a year today, but the introduction of cheaper generics in the U.S. is being delayed.

https://aapsonline.org/sick-people-lose-obamacare/

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Single Family Home Hit By Car in Waldwick

Single Family Home Hit By Car in Waldwick

photos courtesy of Boyd Lovings Facebook

January 22,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Waldwick NJ, Waldwick PD, FD, and building department personnel responded to 11 Ridge Street, Waldwick on Saturday afternoon, 01/21, in response to an incident in which a 4-door Saab left the roadway, went down an embankment, and crashed into a single family home. No one in the vehicle, nor any occupant of the home, was injured in the mishap. The vehicle was removed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck. Damage to the structure was moderate; the occupants are believed to still be occupying the premises post crash.

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Trump Spokesman Accuses Media of False Inaugural Reporting

trump

Trump inauguration ratings second biggest in 36 years
https://ew.com/tv/2017/01/21/trump-inauguration-ratings/

by
Justin Sink
and
Margaret Talev
January 21, 2017, 6:02 PM EST January 21, 2017, 6:26 PM EST

Spicer insists that inauguration crowds larger than reported
Photographs show far fewer people on Mall than Spicer claimed

Donald Trump’s press secretary, Sean Spicer, took to the White House briefing room for the first time on Saturday to lash out at news organizations and accuse them of false reporting about the size of the crowd at Trump’s inauguration the day before.

“This was the largest audience to ever witness an inauguration, period, both in person and around the world,” Spicer said. “These attempts to lessen the enthusiasm of the inauguration are shameful and wrong.”

He took no questions from reporters and he did not say specifically how many people the White House believes attended the inauguration. He said three large sections of the Mall that each held at least 200,000 people were “full when the president took the oath of office.”

He alleged that some photos of the inauguration were “intentionally framed in a way” that minimized the crowd, without providing examples or evidence.

https://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2017-01-21/trump-spokesman-accuses-media-of-false-inauguration-reporting

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2016-2017 Community Outreach Program Series bestselling author Jessica Lahey, “The Gift of Failure,”

Jessica Lahey, “The Gift of Failure,”

January 22,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Wellbeing Series tackles the importance of failure on Feb. 1

The district’s free Wellbeing Series for parents, guardians and the general adult continues next month with bestselling author Jessica Lahey on Wednesday, February 1.

Ms. Lahey’s program, “The Gift of Failure,” will focus on the importance of self-motivation to academic success and how parents can best support their children to stay motivated over the long term. The presentation will take place at George Washington Middle School Auditorium, 155 Washington Place, Ridgewood, from 7-9 p.m.

Ms. Lahey is author of the bestselling book The Gift of Failure: How the Best Parents Learn to Let Go So Their Children Can Succeed. A writer and teacher on education, parenting and child welfare, Ms. Lahey’s work appears in several publications, including The New York Times and The Atlantic.

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RIDGEWOOD’S EMMANUEL BAPTIST OFFERS NEW PARENTING SUPPORT GROUP

011115CrazyMomZM013975

January 22,2017

the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Emmanuel Baptist Church will be offering a new parenting support group, “The Parenting Village,” with the first session starting on Wednesday, February 8th at 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. in the Peace Lounge. Parents with children of all ages are invited to attend. The group will begin by studying Dr. Gordon Neufeld and Dr. Gabor Mate’s book, “Hold On to Your Kids” (2006). Childcare will be provided free of charge at Emmanuel. Light refreshments will be served.

Emmanuel will be purchasing the reference material for this first group meeting. In order to determine how many books to be ordered, please RSVP to the Church office at 201-444-7300 or on the Facebook event link at www.facebook.com/EBCRidgewood/. If you are unable to reach the church office, please contact facilitator, Heidi Ehman, at [email protected].

The purpose of the parenting support group is to create a supportive, loving community for parents to discuss fears and challenges they are facing as parents, help parents maintain connection with their children, and to establish a strong network for parents to call upon to help and guide each other. Possible topics of discussion include living in the moment with children, modern day challenges of parenting, limiting technology, and how to maintain positive connections with children in a world that pulls them away.

Heidi Ehman, founder and facilitator of “The Parenting Village” support group, stated, “In response to the fervent need of virtually every parent we meet, we have decided to provide a safe space for them to ask any question and share their experience.”

Ms. Ehman, a life-long Hawthorne resident, has served on Emmanuel’s Education Board and believes strongly in the philosophy of Attachment Parenting. She is a decorative painter who homeschools her daughter in the Waldorf Method. Recently, she has been pursuing a teacher’s certificate in handwork.

Emmanuel, founded in 1891, is celebrating its 125th Anniversary Year and continues to maintain a tradition of outreach to the community. Emmanuel is located at 14 Hope Street, at the corner of Hope Street and East Ridgewood Avenue, Ridgewood, NJ. The building is ADA accessible and all are invited to attend. For more information, visit www.emmanuelridgewood.org.

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Ridgewood Open Houses for January 22,2017

for sale Ridgewood_Real_Estate_theRodgewopodblog
file photo by Boyd Loving

1700031.1 MLS # 1700031
27 High St, Unit Floor 2, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
1 Bedroom, 1 Full Bath, 2Family
Kevin Errico, Sales Associate
RE/MAX Properties-Saddle River

  • Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 1/22
2

1700029.1 MLS # 1700029
27 High St, Unit Floor 1, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
3 Bedroom, 1 Full Bath, 2Family
Kevin Errico, Sales Associate
RE/MAX Properties-Saddle River

  • Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 1/22
3

1645719.1 MLS # 1645719
220 Canterbury Pl, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath,
2 Half Bath, Ranch
Maryanne Connaughton, Sales Associate
Terrie O’Connor Realtors-Ridgewood

  • Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 1/22
21

1647270.1 MLS # 1647270
322 Marshall St, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
2 Bedroom, 1 Full Bath, Col
Maria Lewie, Sales Associate
Weichert Realtors Clifton

  • Open House: 12:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 1/22
13

1700070.1 MLS # 1700070
27 High St, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath, 2Fam
Kevin Errico, Sales Associate
RE/MAX Properties-Saddle River

  • Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 1/22
4

1702387.1 MLS # 1702387
220 N Pleasant Ave, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, Col
Paula Clark, Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker, Hillsdale

  • Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 3:00 P.M. Sun. 1/22
25

1701041.1 MLS # 1701041
114 Avondale Rd, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
3 Bedroom, 1 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, Col
Frances Ekblom, Sales Associate
Erin Pruitt, Sales Associate
Tarvin Realtors

  • Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:30 P.M. Sun. 1/22
24

1700005.1 MLS # 1700005
168 Kemah Rd, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, Col
Phyllis Lasser, Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker, Wyckoff/Franklin Lakes

  • Open House: 2:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 1/22
25

1700674.1 MLS # 1700674
31 Walthery Ave, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
5 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, Col
Elaine Van Gorp, Sales Associate
Keller Williams Village Square Realty

  • Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 1/22
25

1646964.1 MLS # 1646964
138 Claremont Rd, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
5 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath,
2 Half Bath, Col
Carole Lynn Brescia, Broker Associate
Coldwell Banker, Wyckoff/Franklin Lakes

  • Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 1/22
25

1645061.1 MLS # 1645061
442 Van Buren St, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
5 Bedroom, 3 Full Bath,
1 Half Bath, Col
James Collins, Sales Associate
Coldwell Banker, Alpine/Closter

  • Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 1/22
25

1700257.1 MLS # 1700257
650 Wall St, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
5 Bedroom, 4 Full Bath, Col
Marie E. Griggs-O’Connor, Sales Associate
Keller Williams Village Square Realty

  • Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 1/22
23

1639675.1 MLS # 1639675
668 Wall St, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
6 Bedroom, 6 Full Bath, Col
Antoinette Gangi, Sales Associate
Rita Nulman, Sales Associate
Keller Williams Valley Realty

  • Open House: 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M. Sun. 1/22
25
Open Houses for Wed 1/25

1700519.1 MLS # 1700519
474 Sheffield Rd, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
4 Bedroom, 2 Full Bath, House
Sergio Sciortino, Broker Associate
Keller Williams Village Square Realty – Wyckoff

  • Open House: 5:00 P.M. – 8:00 P.M. Wed. 1/25
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Police: New Jersey man owes more than $56,000 in tolls, fees

1018EZPass

Published January 21, 2017
Associated Press

TEANECK, N.J. –  Transit police say they’ve arrested a New Jersey man who avoided paying tolls nearly 900 times and owes more than $56,000 in unpaid tolls and fees.

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey police say an officer stopped Alesandel Rodriguez’s car Friday morning after it failed to post a payment in an EZ-Pass lane on the George Washington Bridge.

Authorities say the car was missing front and rear license plates, and a temporary New York tag inside the vehicle had expired.

https://www.foxnews.com/us/2017/01/21/police-new-jersey-man-owes-more-than-56000-in-tolls-fees.html

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Ridgewood age-friendly group seeks options for seniors

old-hippies

Mark Krulish , Staff Writer, @Mark_KrulishPublished 12:35 p.m. ET Jan. 20, 2017 | Updated 12:38 p.m. ET Jan. 20, 2017

In coming years, there will be a rapid growth in the population aged 65 and over as the Baby Boomer generation heads into retirement.

While the national trend may not reflect the reality of every single municipality in the country, a group of Ridgewood residents is looking to make a difference in its own community, to make the village a better place for residents to grow old.

https://www.northjersey.com/story/news/bergen/ridgewood/2017/01/20/village-age-friendly-group-seeks-options-seniors/96672392/

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Reader says developers should be targeted for negative aspects of Build and Run

Projects_theridgewoodblog

Excellent but what is the next set of actions to ensure some real actions
Are taken before events and the Developers decend on Ridgewood ,Ho HoKus Glen Rock and other Bergen county communities.?

The developers should be targeted for negative aspects of Build and Run with the Cash tactics..what banks are financing these ruinous Multi family Neighborhood and School taxes blockbusters.Banks they to project community good citizens profiles but they are awash with cheap money for the Fed and lack of interest payments to the savers for a Decade now

“I implore our Senate President and Assembly Speaker to do everything in their power to move forward with bi-partisan legislation addressing this issue. The court rules on what is constitutional, not aggressively ruling what it thinks is best for the state. We cannot let the court legislate what is best for individual communities.”

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Monday PSE&G Underground Manholes and Pipe Installation on South Broad , Hudson and E. Ridgewood Ave

PSEG

file photo by Boyd Loving

PSEG – CONSTRUCTION NOTICE UPDATE JANUARY 21, 2017

Updated: January 19, 2017

PSE&G ELECTRIC RELIABILITY INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADE
UTILITY UNDERGROUND INFRASTRUCTURE UPGRADE

WORK SCHEDULE UPDATE: January 23, 2017 – January 27, 2017 VILLAGE OF RIDGEWOOD

January 23, 2017 – January 27, 2017

Underground Manholes & Pipe Installation

South Broad Street

(Hudson Street & E. Ridgewood Avenue)

Road or Lane Closures

(7:00am – 5:00 pm)

Monday- Friday

Ridgewood NJ, As part of our electric reliability improvements in Bergen County, PSE&G will be performing utility underground work in the Village of Ridgewood. As of mid-January 2017, PSE&G will beperforming the following activities in your area:

Excluding inclement weather delays, PSE&G anticipates working Monday –Friday, (7:00am – 5:00pm)

Safety is our primary concern. PSE&G will work with the Ridgewood Police Department to minimize any traffic concerns or inconveniences to the public. Please be advised that Ridgewood Police Department may close additional spaces to ensure public safety. In addition, during construction, please refrain from going near our construction work zones.

The upgrades will enhance your electric capacity, system redundancy, and service reliability within the Village of Ridgewood, as well as surrounding communities. If you have questions or concerns, please call our toll free number at 1-877-678-5784

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President Trump Declares Independence

Donald J Trump 45th President

His message to America: Remember those things I said in the campaign? I meant them. I meant it all.

By
PEGGY NOONAN
Jan. 20, 2017 6:49 p.m. ET

Washington

I was more moved than I expected. Then more startled.

The old forms and traditions, the bands and bunting, endured. I thought, as I watched the inauguration: It continues. There were pomp and splendor, happy, cheering crowds; and for all the confounding nature of the past 18 months, and all the trauma, it came as a reassurance to see us do what we do the way we do it. A friend in the Southwest, a longtime Trump supporter, emailed just before the swearing in: “I have been crying all morning.” From joy.

I found myself unexpectedly moved during the White House meeting of the Trumps and the Obamas, at the moment Melania Trump emerged from her car. She was beautiful, seemed so shy and game. There are many ways to show your respect for people and events, and one is to present yourself with elegance and dignity.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/president-trump-declares-independence-1484956174

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New Trump White House Website Sets Agenda That Mirrors Campaign Pledges

Pence and Trump

Revised website features issue pages for energy policy, foreign policy, economic policy, expanding the military, bolstering law enforcement and rethinking trade.

By
DAMIAN PALETTA
Updated Jan. 21, 2017 11:13 a.m. ET

WASHINGTON—The Trump administration overhauled the White House’s website Friday and published action plans that ranged from building a wall along the Mexico border to pulling back from trade deals, transforming a number of populist campaign themes into concrete agenda items.

The revised website created six different issue pages for energy policy, foreign policy, economic policy, expanding the size of the military, bolstering law enforcement, and rethinking trade.

The changes include removing language about climate change and the White House’s commitment to LGBTQ issues. The only speech listed on the website is President Donald Trump’s inaugural address from earlier Friday, pared back from the hundreds of speeches previously listed—just as the incoming Obama administration wiped the slate clean in 2009.

Mr. Trump’s administration also took over the @potus Twitter handle. Archived tweets from President Barack Obama’s administration moved to a new handle, @potus44.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/new-trump-white-house-website-sets-agenda-that-mirrors-campaign-pledges-1484956089